CISI IFC Online Access

Caleb is attempting to improve diversification by adding an investment whose return pattern may have a low correlation with his existing global equity and bond holdings. Portfolio diversification is most effective when investments do not all respond identically to the same economic and market conditions. A small-cap resource fund is a specialty fund and may behave differently from a broad global equity fund and a conventional bond fund. The IFC material specifically explains that specialty funds, although relatively risky on a stand-alone basis, can provide diversification benefits when their returns have low correlation with other portfolio holdings. Increasing beta or standard deviation would increase risk rather than represent the diversification objective, while reduced fees are unrelated to adding a specialty fund. Therefore, Option D is correct.

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Net worth is calculated as total assets minus total liabilities. The client’s assets are $100,000 (savings) + $5,000 (bank accounts) = $105,000. The liabilities are $10,000 (loans). Thus, net worth = $105,000 - $10,000 = $95,000. The feedback from the document confirms:

" Net worth is calculated as the value of all of the client’s assets after subtracting outstanding loan and mortgage balances. In this example, the client has $100,000 + $5,000 = $105,000 in assets, and $10,000 in loans. Therefore, his net worth is $105,000 - $10,000 = $95,000. "

The information that is typically included in the Letter of Engagement is the client’s responsibilities. A Letter of Engagement is a document that formalizes the relationship between a registered firm and its client by specifying the duties, responsibilities, and level of service that both parties agree to. It also outlines the fees and charges that apply to the client’s account, the scope and frequency of reporting and communication, and the process for resolving disputes or terminating the relationship. The client’s responsibilities may include providing accurate and complete information, reviewing statements and reports, informing of any changes in circumstances or objectives, and complying with applicable laws and regulations. Therefore, option A is correct regarding what information is typically included in the Letter of Engagement. The other options are not correct or relevant to the Letter of Engagement. Option B is false because the process for complaints is not typically included in the Letter of Engagement; rather, it is part of the Relationship Disclosure Information (RDI) that is provided to clients at account opening and updated as necessary. Option C is false because the investment objective is not typically included in the Letter of Engagement; rather, it is part of the Know Your Client (KYC) information that is collected from clients at account opening and updated as necessary. Option D is false because the payee for deposits is not typically included in the Letter of Engagement; rather, it is part of the account documentation that specifies how clients can deposit or withdraw funds from their accounts. References: [Letter of Engagement | IFIC] , [Relationship Disclosure Information | IFIC], [Know Your Client (KYC) | IFIC]